Starting to get lots of extra tomatoes from your garden? 

Here are some cooking tips:

• Long-simmered tomato sauce is delicious any time of year.
• Extended cooking thickens the sauce as the water cooks off; and long simmering melds flavors together. Any other vegetables you add to the sauce will become richer and sweeter the longer they cook.
• When fresh tomatoes are out of season, it's perfectly fine to use canned tomatoes.
• During the summer, turn a bumper crop of ripe tomatoes into a long-simmered tomato sauce.
• Cooking time can range from two hours to all day, depending on how thick and caramelized you like your sauce.
• Make a big batch, eat some for dinner, and pour the rest into freezer-safe containers for the coming months. Then, simply thaw it as needed; you can add any fresh herbs, spices, veggies, or meats desired.